Device for measuring forces in two or several directions



June 1, 1965 FLlNTH 3,186,220- DEVICE FOR MEASURING FORCES IN TWO OR SEVERAL DIRECTIONS Filed Feb. 12, 1982 INVEN TOR. WU/Vf j;

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United States Patent 3,186,220 DEVICE FOR MEASURING FORCES IN TWO OR SEVERAL DIRECTIONS Rune Flinth, Vasteras, Sweden, assignor to Allmanna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, Vasteras, Sweden, 2! Swedish corporation Filed Feb. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 172,464 Claims priority, application Sweden, Feb. 27, 1961, 2,031/ 61 3 Claims. (Cl. 73-141) The present invention relates to a means for measuring forces in two or several directions. These forces may be independent of each other and influence the means in different directions, but may also consist of two components of a single force operating perpendicularly against each other, which force varies in size and direction. A field in which the invention is particularly suitable for use is in rolling-mills for determining the magnitude of the so-called coil strip tension. A guiding roller is thus arranged between the operating rollers and the rolling-on lpulley, whereby the rolling material which runs over the guiding roller and is thereby diverted a certain angle, the guiding angle, influences the guiding roller with a certain force which depends upon the tension of the material and of the guiding angle. This force may be imagined as divided into a horizontal and a vertical component and the device according to the invention is provided to measure each of these components separately.

In the accompanying drawing FIGURE 1 shows one example of a suitable embodiment of the means according to the invention. FIGURE 2 shows the use of the means for measuring the force with which the rolling material acts on the guiding roller in a rolling mill.

In a holder having the shape of a parallelepiped a number of slits are incorporated, so that an outer portion 1, an intermediate portion 2, an inner portion 3 and a number of tongues situated between these are formed. The intermediate portion is separated from the outer portion by two substantially vertical slits 4, the upper and lower ends of which terminate in shorter horizontal slits 5 and by a horizontal recess 6 situated below the lower horizontal slits 5, which recess is arranged to carry a forcesensing device 7. Between the upper horizontal slits 5 and the upper edge of the container and between the lower horizontal slits 5 and the recess 6, horizontally running tongues 8 are formed which support the intermediate part 2 so that it is resilient in vertical direction but is rigid-1y connected with the outer portion in horizontal direction. In the intermediate portion a number of vertical slits 9 are incorporated between which a corresponding number of tongues 10 are formed, which tongues act as supporting means for the inner portion 3. One of the slits 9 has been given a special shape so that it may carry a force sensing means 11. tongues 10 allow the inner portion 3 to move in horizontal direction without notable resistance, while on the other hand they provide a rigid support in the vertical direction. The inner portion 3 serves to take up the force or forces to be measured and may, for example, be formed as the base for an axis to the previously mentioned guiding roller in a rolling mill, as is seen more clearly in FIGURE 2. In this figure a guiding roller 12 The resilient "Ice is journalled in bearings in the inner portion 3 shown in FIGURE 1. The material 13, which has been rolled in the rolling mill runs over the guiding roller and is bent away at an angle, the average value of which is indicated by a and is then wound up on a drum. The total force exerted on the guiding roller 12 by the passage of strip material 13 thereover is indicated by F. The force sensing means 7 measures only the vertical component F of said force F, while the force sensing means 11 reacts to and measures only the horizontal component F of the force F. The angle a varies between two values depending upon whether the drum is empty or full. In FIGURE 2 the single dotted line indicates the maximum value of a and the double dotted line indicates the direction of the strip material when a has said maximum value.

The embodiment of the invention shown and described should not be imagined the only one. It is of course unnecessary that the two force sensing means should be so placed that they react only for forces which are perpendicular to each other. Besides a right angle, any other angle is possible which is suitable in any particular case. Similarly the slits might run in diiferent ways without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also possible to use more than two force sensitive members, and further, the force sensitive means 7 and 11 might be replaced by means arranged in pairs, one on each side of the point taking up the force. Further, the slits could be so arranged that the intermediate portion is movable in horizontal direction and the inner portion in vertical direction.

I claim:

1. Device for measuring forces in at least two directions at angle to each other comprising a holder for supporting an element on which the force to be measured is acting, said holder having a plurality of slots forming an outer portion, an intermediate portion and an inner portion, parts of said holder between said slot-s forming resilient tongues, said tongues including first tongues supporting said inner portion from said intermediate portion for movement with respect thereto in a first direction, and second tongues supporting said intermediate portion from said outer portion for movement with respect thereto in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, first force sensitive means engaged between the walls of one of the slots between said inner and intermediate portions, second force sensitive means engaged between the walls of one of the slots between said intermediate portion and said outer portion, said two force sensitive means delivering output signals proportional to the forces acting upon said force sensitive means, said inner portion being provided with means for connection to said element on which the force to be measured is acting.

3 mediate holder portions, said intermediate portion being Within said outer portion and movable with respect thereto in said first direction, first force sensitive means engaged between the walls of the central part of said third slot, said intermediate :portion having at least fourth and fifth slots therein extending perpendicular to a second of said directions and forming between them resilient tongues mounting an inner portion of the holder Within the intermediate portion for movement with respect thereto in said second direction, and second force sensitive means engaged between the walls of the central part of one of said fourth and fifth slots, one of said outer and inner portions having means for connection to said element.

3. Device according to claim 1, said element comprising a shaft and said connection means comprising a bearing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,019,643 2/62 Curry 73l47 RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. DEVICE FOR MEASURING FORCES IN AT LEAST TWO DIRECTIONS AT ANGLE TO EACH OTHER COMPRISING A HOLDER FOR SUPPORTING AN ELEMENT ON WHICH THE CORCE TO BE MEASURED IS ACTING, SAID HOLDER HAVING A PLURALITY OF SLOTS FORMING AN OUTER PORTION, AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION AND AN INNER PORTION, PARTS OF SAID HOLDER BETWEEN SAID SLOTS FORMING RESILIENT TONGUES, SAID TONGUES INCLUDING FIRST TONGUES SUPPORTING SAID INNER PORTION FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION FOR MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO IN A FIRST DIRECTION, AND SECOND TONGUES SUPPORTING SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION FROM SAID OUTER PORTION FOR MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO IN A SECOND DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION, FIRST FORCE SENSITIVE MEANS ENGAGED BETWEEN THE WALLS OF ONE OF THE SLOTS BETWEEN SAID INNER AND INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS, SECOND FORCE SENSITIVE MEANS ENGAGED BETWEEN THE WALLS OF ONE OF THE SLOTS BETWEEN SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION AND SAID OUTER PORTION, SAID TWO FORCE SENSITIVE MEANS DELIVERING OUTPUT SIGNALS PROPORTIONAL TO THE FORCES ACTING UPON SAID FORCE SENSITIVE MEANS, SAID INNER PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR CONNECTION TO SAID ELEMENT ON WHICH THE FORCE TO BE MEASURED IS ACTING. 